'''Meriwether Lewis''' (18 Aug. 1774-11 Oct. 1809)<ref>This article is based on Gaye Wilson, "Meriwether Lewis, the President's Secretary", ''Monticello Newsletter,'' Volume 12(Spring 2001).</ref>, was a explorer, soldier, and secretary to [[Thomas Jefferson]]. When the contentious election of 1800 had been decided and Thomas

'''Meriwether Lewis''' (18 Aug. 1774-11 Oct. 1809)<ref>This article is based on Gaye Wilson, "Meriwether Lewis, the President's Secretary", ''Monticello Newsletter,'' Volume 12(Spring 2001).</ref>, was a explorer, soldier, and secretary to [[Thomas Jefferson]]. When the contentious election of 1800 had been decided and Thomas

Jefferson prepared to assume the office of president, he knew whom he

Jefferson prepared to assume the office of president, he knew whom he

-

wanted as his private secretary.Within days of the final balloting in

+

wanted as his private secretary. Within days of the final balloting in

February 1801, Jefferson posted a letter to Gen. James Wilkinson,

February 1801, Jefferson posted a letter to Gen. James Wilkinson,

commander of the U.S. Army, and under the same cover one

commander of the U.S. Army, and under the same cover one

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Hill, located approximately 10 miles

Hill, located approximately 10 miles

west of Monticello, on Aug. 18, 1774.

west of Monticello, on Aug. 18, 1774.

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His father,William Lewis, and

+

His father, William Lewis, and

mother, Lucy Meriwether, were

mother, Lucy Meriwether, were

second cousins, and by naming their

second cousins, and by naming their

Line 46:

Line 46:

name is irrevocably linked to

name is irrevocably linked to

that of William Clark and the

that of William Clark and the

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exploratory expedition that

+

[[Lewis and Clark Expedition | exploratory expedition]] that

traveled to the Pacific Ocean

traveled to the Pacific Ocean

and back. It is easy to assume

and back. It is easy to assume

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Line 58:

an important consideration at

an important consideration at

the time.

the time.

-

In 1801 the country had

+

In 1801, the country had

survived a shift of political

survived a shift of political

power from the Federalists to

power from the Federalists to

Revision as of 13:38, 20 July 2007

Meriwether Lewis (18 Aug. 1774-11 Oct. 1809)[1], was a explorer, soldier, and secretary to Thomas Jefferson. When the contentious election of 1800 had been decided and Thomas
Jefferson prepared to assume the office of president, he knew whom he
wanted as his private secretary. Within days of the final balloting in
February 1801, Jefferson posted a letter to Gen. James Wilkinson,
commander of the U.S. Army, and under the same cover one
to “Lieut. Meriwether Lewis, not knowing where he may
be.” Jefferson gave specific reasons for seeking the young
Lewis: his knowledge of the frontier and the military, and
“A personal acquaintance with him, owing from his being of
my neighborhood.”
Indeed, Meriwether
Lewis and the extensive
Lewis and Meriwether
families were from
Jefferson’s “neighborhood”
in the central Piedmont
region of Virginia. Meriwether Lewis
was born on his father’s farm, Locust
Hill, located approximately 10 miles
west of Monticello, on Aug. 18, 1774.
His father, William Lewis, and
mother, Lucy Meriwether, were
second cousins, and by naming their
eldest son for his mother’s family,
they signaled his association with two
very prominent families of Central
Virginia. Both families were well
known to Jefferson. Two of Jefferson’s
siblings had married into a line of the
Lewis family, and Nicholas Lewis,
Meriwether’s uncle and guardian, was
a close friend who adeptly managed
Jefferson’s affairs during his years in Paris.

Familiarity and trust were apparent on both sides. Meriwether Lewis
accepted the president’s offer immediately and “with pleasure,” even
though Jefferson’s letter contained no job outline, only assurances that it
would be an “easier office” than military life and that he could retain his
rank and right for promotion in the army. Jefferson offered also that the
position “would make you know & be known to characters of influence
in the affairs of our country, and give you the advantage of their
wisdom.”
In addition to trusted familial connections, Meriwether Lewis had
other qualifications that interested Jefferson: “a knowledge of the
Western country, of the army & it’s situation.” Today, Meriwether Lewis’
name is irrevocably linked to
that of William Clark and the
exploratory expedition that
traveled to the Pacific Ocean
and back. It is easy to assume
that exploration was
Jefferson’s prime motive in
hiring someone with knowledge
of the West, but in his
letter Jefferson also emphasized
Lewis’ familiarity with
the state of the U.S. Army –
an important consideration at
the time.
In 1801, the country had
survived a shift of political
power from the Federalists to
the Republican Party through
the electoral process, but the campaign had been extremely bitter. The
new Republican administration was committed to reducing the standing
army, and Jefferson needed to know which officers were superior, which
inferior, and in light of the recent election, which would be likely to
support or oppose the current administration. The roster of all commissioned
officers, dated July 24, 1801, that was supplied to Jefferson featured curious symbols beside each officer’s name. Historians have
identified an accompanying key that gives a meaning to each symbol as
being written in the hand of Meriwether Lewis. From this it has been
concluded that one of Lewis’ first duties was to assist Jefferson in
determining the worthiness or unworthiness of officers, and in some
instances their political leanings as well.
So whether Jefferson sought out Lewis to meet the immediate need
of evaluating the officer corps or for more ambitious exploratory
undertakings in the future – or both – Lewis retained Jefferson’s
confidence during his two years as secretary. In selecting a leader for
what he called an “exploring party” and that history would record as
the Lewis and Clark Expedition, Jefferson wrote of his former
secretary, “I could have no hesitation in confiding the enterprise to
him.”